Breech-loading ordnance.



run srarnsrmrnn'r j OFFICE. WILLIAM DoNAHon OF'oAsea-DE,town. I i i :snEnonmoAnmG onnnencn T "all/l whom (it may concern:v ,formed in the-breech-block, .and are pivoted Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Y.'Doi-mrror., on pins 7 fixed therein. The free end of citizen of the, United States, residing-at; each pawl is normally projected beyond the p uOascade, in the county-oi Dubuqne and Sta-teouter surfaceof the brecchblock for thepnr- 5 YofIowa,;have invented certain new and use .pose of engagingthe' sides .of a groove 8. .iul Improvem {rats in Breech-Loading Ord jfo'rmedin the wall of chamber 3. a The low hence, of'whi'chgthe following is a specifica 'ermost pawl, the-one shown in full lines m 'tion." Y I y Figs. 1 and 2, is thus projected bygrav1ty;. I i invention relates to breechdoadingordbut" .the other pawls 'are' provided with 10 nance.

. springs 9 for this purpose. -Theobjects of my inventiona're to provide, Thegrooves 8 are preferably formed w th an im 'roved breechrblock: to provide im-. ashoulderlO defining one end thereof; and prove means for locking andiunlocking the from this shoulder the groove' decreases in breech-block within the breech: and to prodepth until it merges into thechamberfi. 1'5 videlan impnovedbreech-blockadapted to be The breech-block niay-bepro'vi'dedwith an used in conjunction with electrical means for exterior or peripheral groove or channel 11. igniting the cartridgeof the projectile.- This channel adaptedto receivean electric invention, generally stated, compre- "conductor 12, carried by the'cartridge-case .hen s a-breech-bloc'k having a desired hum; I3 of a' projectile 14, the ronductor being- 20 ber of depressible' members adapted to noradapted to convey an igniting charge of elecmally project beyond the outer' surface of tricity. to fl tforward end of the cartridge -thebreech-block and engage grooves formedupon the closing, in any suitable manner, of, in thebreech for the purpose of locking the the electric circuit; 7 z breech-block therein: the formof the grooves The block 4 is preferably provided with i254bein'g such that the rotation of thebreechhandles 15. block ejects the depressible members from i The operation of mydevice is as follows: jthegrooves in the breech thus unlocking the Theprqectile, with the cartridge connected breech block. thereto, is positioned in the gun, the '.-.o'n-

,' My 'nvention' contemplates further, a ductor 12 projecting beyond the 10i\l '()'l,

-30 breech-block formed withachannel along its the breech. A portion of this conductor, outer surface adapted to receive an electrical beyondthe cartridge-case, is then placed in conductor carried bythe cartridge-case'of the channel 11' ofthe breech-block; and the the prO ectile. latter is inserted in. its chamber 3 in proper r, In the following description and claims, position to have the pawlso engage thesides 35 and in the accompanying drawings, 1 have of the grooves 8" near the shoulders 10 therevindicated a preferred embodiment of my inof.- This proper positioning of the block vent on for-accomplishing thetore'goiiigandf may be readily accomplished by any suitable heremafter indicated objects: I however reregistering of marks or points on the breech- SGI'V-the-rlght to make any modifications block and breech. This engagement of the' 240 thereto that fall within the scope of my in- 'grooires in fthelbreech' by thc pawls locks the I vent1on. A breech-block in position; and the projectile Iii-the drawings-Figure 1 is a longitudi 'may be then fired; by closing the circuit. nal vertical section showing my breech-block, When it be desired to. open the breech, the part ally 1n "section, 111 a locked position breech-block is rotated clock-wise, see Fig. 2, 4S6 withm the breech ,and showing also, ineleand the decreasing depth of the grooves 8 vation, the =pro ect1le, its connected carforces the pawls backwards into-their retr1dge-case,'and the electric'conductors 'car-- cesses 6, this backward movement of the I'led thereby. Fig.2 1s a transverse section 'pawls continuing until they pass out of the I on thelme AA of Flg. l.- Fig. 3is a pergrooves 8, whereupon the breech-block isun- {3 PQ 1VG V1ew of the breech-block; locked and may be withdrawn.

1 I lndicates a portion of a gun, 2.the The number of pawls to be. carried by a I I breech th ereof 3. a cylindrical breech-block breech-block-is determined by the size of the- .chamberthere1n', and 4, the breech-block. latter. In Fig. 1, one pawl is shcwn in full v 1 f The breech-block isprovlded wlth pawls 5, lines andanother in dotted lines; and int-. one or moreas the size of the breech-block Fig. 2 four pawls are shown.

requires, which are housed in recesses 6 The rearwar d strain upon the pawls, when in use, can in a great measure be taken up by the forward end of the pawls, the ends opposuitable mechanism for moving a breeclr.

block into and out of a breech, and for rotating it therein.

hen necessary, any-suitable means for forming av gas-ti ht connection may he used with my breech-block.

.I-l aving thus described any invention, what T claim isl. The combination with a rotatable breechblock, of a locking member carried by the block and movable therein a portion of the locking member normally projecting outward beyond the surface of the block,-and a breech having a ln-eecl'i-block chamber and having also a groove to receive the projecting portion of the locking member.

The combination with a breech-block, oi a pawl pivoted thereto, and a breech'h aving a breech-block chamber and having also a groove in the wall of said chamber the pawl being adapted toautomatically engage the groove wall to lock the block in its chamber when inserted therein the pawl being also adapted to be disengaged by the breechblock from looking engagement. with the breech.

3. The combination with a breech-block, of a spring-actuated member carried by the breech-block, and a breech having a breechblock chamber and havin also a groove intersecting thewall of the c iamber and adapted to receive a portion ,of the spring-actuated member the groove formation ejecting the spring-actuated member therefrom upon the rotation of the breech-block in its chamber.

,4. The combination with a breeclnblock, of a plurality of pawls' seated in recesses therein and pivoted to the breech-block, springs normally projecting the free ends of the pa \vls outward beyond the surface of the breech-block, a breechhaving a chamber therein for the reception of thebreech-block and having also rooves intersecting the walls of the cham )er the grooves decreasing the depth towards one end and being adapted to receive the free ends of the pawls, and hand-grasps for the breech-block, the

breech-block'being adapted to be unlocked by rotating it in the direction of the decreasing depth f the grooves;

5. In a breech-loading gun adapted to use electrically ignited cartrid es having conductors attached thereto an adapted to convey an igniting charge of electricity to the cartridge, a breech-block having a peripheral channel adapted to receive the electric conductor and to permita portion thereof to extend beyond the rear portioirot the breechbloclt. 4

U. The combination with a rotatable breechblock, of a pawl pivoted thereto the free end Corrections 'in' Letters Patent No. 901,791.

- It is hereby certified tl lat in Letters Patent No. 901,791, grented October 20, 1908, upon the appl ieation of William Y.:Donahoe, of Cascade, Iowa, for an improvement in Breeeh-Loading Ordnance, errors appear in the printed speeifieatiorr requiring I correetion, es follows: .111 line 58, page :2, the word rvalls should read wall, and in I and that the said Letters Petent should be read with these correetions 'thereinthat the same may conform tothe record ofi the case in ohe Patent Office. I

' :Signed and sealed this 17th d y of November, A. 1)., 1908.

[SEAL] I v li ne ffi, same page, the worr l the fihfiplgfead in,

0. o. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patent#. 

